Stephen Alexander, who in his two-plus seasons with the Broncos became one of the team’s leaders and most popular veterans, was released Saturday.
A starter at tight end the previous two seasons, Alexander was pushed to a reserve role this season after the Broncos signed Daniel Graham to a contract worth $15 million. Alexander took a pay cut to remain on the team’s 53-man roster, but he eventually lost his job because of a bruised calf that didn’t heal quickly enough to help a banged-up offensive line.
Because the Broncos have just six healthy offensive linemen – the five starters and reserve Chris Kuper – entering their game today against the Oakland Raiders, the team felt it needed to find one more backup. Had Alexander been ready to go, he probably would still have his roster spot as a backup to Graham and an emergency tackle.
But because he was not healthy enough to play, the 10-year tight end was released and the Broncos re-signed Chad Mustard, a tight end/tackle who has been working exclusively at tackle since mid-August.
Crowder out
A sprained left ankle will force rookie defensive end Tim Crowder to wait until Game 3 against Jacksonville to make his NFL debut.
“It’s better but they’re going to sit me one extra week,” said Crowder, the Broncos’ second-round pick.
A spy solution
“Spygate” might never have happened had NFL owners not rejected a competition committee recommendation to allow a defensive captain to wear an electronic communication device inside his helmet.
“I voted for it,” Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Friday.
Quarterbacks are allowed to have a speaker inside their helmets so they can receive the plays orally. The league’s competition committee presented a measure that would have put the defense on an equal technological playing field.
Critics of the proposal, however, say that because there are multiple defensive packages and substitutions on every play, it would be difficult to assign one earpiece to one player.
Injury report
All indications are quarterback Daunte Culpepper will make his Raiders’ debut today and start against the Broncos. Culpepper replaces Josh McCown, who completed 30-of-40 passes for 313 yards in a season-opening loss to Detroit but suffered injuries to his foot and passing hand in the game….Broncos cornerback Domonique Foxworth (sprained ankle) didn’t practice much this week, and his playing status will be a game-time decision.
